Sewing machine



Sept. 19, 1950 J. E. BISHOP ETAL SEWING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 23, 1947 INVENTORS JOHN .5. 5/550 F/M/v/rM Mum v5 fliza Mazda r J1 Sept. 19, 1950 J; E. BISHOP ETAL 2,522,811

szwmc MACHINE Filed Jan. 25, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 R 1% rm' INVENTORS BY w Zd /w'm ATTORN EYS Sept. 19, 1950 J. E. BISHOP ETALY 2,522,811

sswmc momma Filed Jan. 23, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS Sgpt. 19, 1950 J. E. BISHOP EIAL I 2,522,811

' sswmc MACHINE Filed Jan. 2:5, 1947 s Sheetg-Sheet 4 INVENTQRS BYfld g Mam w 7) a ATTORNEYS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS g/o/e/v A 5/52 0 EQW/WKMMa/HMS Br mama U 1 ATTO/P/WFKS J. E. BISHOP ETAL SEWING MACHINE icrlE.

Sgpt. 19, v1950 Filed Jan 23, 1947 Patented Sept. 19, 1950 SEWING MACHINE John E. Bishop, Paterson, N. 1., and Frank W. Williams, Middletown, N. Y., assignors to The Manhattan Shirt Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 23, 1947, Serial No 723,842 7 Claims. (Cl. 1122) This invention relates to an apparatus for stitching backs of men's shirts and the two portions of yokes together and the process relating thereto.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and process which repeatedly transports a book or bundle of shirt backs through a predetermined path and pass parallel to but spaced from the station at which the operator and a sewing machine are positioned whereby the book of backs are made accessible to the operator in order that she can manipulate each shirt back successively and unite the yoke members thereto without manually handling the entire book of backs.

The operator, by utilization of this invention is relieved of the cumbersome handling and manipulation of the shirt backs and yoke members as now practiced in factories manufacturing mens shirts. work of the operator but also permits a substantial increase in production.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view, in outline, of a sewing machine and those parts of the invention which relate to the manipulation of the yoke members; Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of a device for folding the edges of the yokes; Fig. 3 is an end view, opposite to that at which the operator is stationed, of the apparatus illustrating the sewing machine portion and the book carrying and feeding portion; Fig. 4 is a side view of a carriage adapted to carry the book of backs; Fig. 5 is a top view of the device of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the book carrying and feeding portion on the line 6--6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a side view of part of the structure shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a top view of the structure shown in. Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a side view of the book carrying and feeding device as observed from the direction of the arrows in Fig. 3; Fig. 10 is a top view of the structure of Fig, 9; Fig. 11 shows the relation of the shirt back and yoke members when stitched together with the outside of the shirt back exposed to view; Fig. 12 is a cross section on the line I2-I2 The book of backs carrying and feeding device is mounted upon a multiplicity of legs I suitably braced by the cross pieces 2, the legs being secured to the floor upon which the device is carried. The crib 3 is preferably made of a single casting provided at its ends with cold rolled steel plates 4 and a series of intermediate upstanding brackets 5 arranged oppositely in pairs on both sides of the crib. A pair of rails 6, in spaced relation, are carried by the brackets 5 secured thereto by the This invention not only simplifies the bolts I passing through the brackets 5 and the rails 6. The bolts 1 are adjustable to permit the two rails to be uniformly spaced apart throughout the entire length of the rails and to permit the removal of the rails if found necessary. A carriage 8 is arranged to run upon the rails being supported thereon by flanged ball bearing wheels, four of such wheels 9 running on the top of the rails 6 and two of such wheels I0 being positioned to engage the lower surface of the rails. The carriage is so mounted upon the rails that under one phase of its operation, it may roll freely, as hereinafter explained. A worm shaft II runs lengthwise of the carrying and feeding device and is mounted in brass bearings supported by the end plates 4. The shaft I I, running substantially the entire length of the device, is provided on its surface with a worm I2 running substantially from end to end of the shaft. A cam shaft I3 parallels the shaft I I throughout its entire length and is rockingly mounted in the end plates 4. The carriage 8 is provided with a latching device I4 whereby the carriage may be latched and unlatched in respect of the shaft I I in order to con-' trol the reciprocation of the carriage. The latching device I4 is provided at its end with a half nut I5, the free end whereof fits into the groove of the Worm I2. At the end of the latching device, opposite the half nut, an annular undercut portion I6 is provided. The latching device is secured by the pivot I! to the fin I8. The arm I9, which is part of the latch, extends into the path of the cam I3 whereby when the cam is rotated it tends to bear upon the arm I9 and raise the latching device lifting the edge of the half nut I 5 from the groove of the worm I2, the arm 20 entering the undercut portion I6 and locking the latch in the raised position and the half nut out of engagement with the worm I2 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. The arms I9 and 20 are part of a bell crank pivoted at 2| and normally pulled in the direction of the latch by the spring 22,

The feeding and carrying device is set at an inclination with the right hand end set slightly higher than the opposite end. The direction of feed of the carriage 8 by the worm I2 is up the' inclination or toward the right hand end of the device. The carriage when it is freed, by disengagement of the half nut I5, rolls rearwardly under the force of gravity toward the low end of The carriage when it reaches the end of its return stroke, toward the low end of the device.

the device, causes forcible engagement of the stud 23, which may be adjusted to a desired position with the pin 24 carried by the arm of the bell crank. When the pin 24 strikes the stud 23 the bell crank is swung against the pull of the sprin 22 causing the arm 20 to move free of the undercut portion l6 and unlocking the latchin member so that the edge of the half nut may again drop into engagement in the groove of the worm l2.

It will be evident that when the worm shaft II and its worm l2 rotate, the carriage 8 will be fed up the inclination of the device at a constant speed and when the cam shaft is rotated the carriage will be freed from continued feed and will forthwith tend to roll down the inclined tracks 6 toward the low end of the device.

The top surface of the carriage is provided with a suitable platform 26, such as a sheet of aluminum, provided with depending aprons 21 and 28. Vertically standing brackets 29 are located one at each end of the carriage, on which brackets pivoted arms 30 are mounted carrying between them a clamp 3l in the form of a round metal bar. The clamp may be swung through a-considerable are from one side of theplatform 26 over the top of the brackets29 to the other side of the platform. A book 32 of shirt backs (consisting of 3 dozen or more units) is laid on the platform 26, wrong side down, with about /2 of the tail end portion of the shirt backs overlying the platform of the carriage and the neck and shoulder portion .extendable over the platform edge. The gravity clamp 3| is then swung as to lie on top of the backs 32 directly engaging the topmost back. The forwardly extending portion of the backs are then swung or doubled over the clamp 3|, taking the positionas generally shown at the right hand side of Fig. ,3.

It will be evident, from theway thebacks are laid, that the platform 26 carries the book of backs in folded condition with the clamp 3l resting directly upon the top of the uppermost individual shirtback and intermediate .of the book, with a portion of the lowermost backat the top of the book.

In order to restrain the backs from slipping or sliding in respect of the platform 26 and the clamp 3|, two spaced emery cloth strips 33 are secured to the :top face ofthe platform 26 and like material is applied. as a sleeve --to the surface of the clamp 3|.

The stitching machine unit shown at the left of Fig. 3 is of a standard type with such changes as to make itreadilyserviceable as part ofthe apparatus of this invention. The stitching unit provides the usual needle bar, needle, presser foot,

feeding device, bobbin mechanism, :all of which.

are of a standard 'type, but not illustrated in detail.

The stitching machine unit is positioned a pre determined spaced distance from the book of backs 32 which space should be such that the successive backs when. paged from the book of backs will readily reach, without tension, from the carriage to the stitching. point through which the needle of the stitching machine passes.

An electric motor 34 is provided to drive the entire apparatus and is preferably suspended from the work table 6| by-a bracket 35. Two pulleys 36 and 31 are attached to the shaft of the motor, pulley 36, through the belt 38 and the pulley 39, driving the stitching machine unit. A driving shaft 46, extending substantially the length of the apparatus at the rear thereof (opposite to the station at which the. operator sits) is mounted by suitable brackets 4| to the-legs of the apparatus and carries the pulley 42, driven through the belt 43 by the pulley 31. A pulley 44 is secured to the shaft 40 and through the belt 45 drives the pulley 46 which is secured to the worm shaft l l and consequently drives the worm which feeds the carriage. A foot treadle 47, within reach of the operators left foot, controls a suitable clutch 48 (details of which are not shown), controlling the actuation of the motor and the rotation of the two pulleys 36 and 3! on the motor shaft. The relation of the several parts of the driving mechanism is such that the rate at which the feeding mechanism of the stitching machine feeds the'cloth underneath the needle is the same or approximates the speed with which the carriage transports the bundle of backs up the incline of the apparatus.

Operating means are provided for manually actuating the cam shaft [3 to cause it, under control of the operator, to disconnect or unlatch the carriage from the-worm 12. For this purpose a tooth gear 49 is secured to the apparatus by the stud 56 upon which the gear 49 may rotate to in turn rotate the small gear 5| which is secured to the cam shaft. The gear 49 is actuated through a link 52 secured at one endto the gear 59 and at its other end to an end of the arm 53 pivoted at 54 on a bracket secured to one of the cross braces 2. A spring 55 attached to one of the legs I at one end and at its other end to the lower portion of the arm 53 tends to keep the cam shaft l3 out of engagement with the arm l9 of the latch M. A control 56 is pivoted on the brack, et 57 secured to the underside of the table 6 l .and connected with one end of a drop chain 58, the other .end of the drop chain passing around the underside of a flanged groove wheel 56 and its other end 68 is secured to the lower .end of the arm 53. When the operator applies pressure to the control 56 themanuallyexerted pull onthe chain 58 causes rotary movementof the gear .49

stitute the .inner face 64 of the yoke, rest upon: the .shelf 62 and the yoke member v65, which will constitute the outer .face of the :yoke, rest upon the shelf 63. Thebars l5 overlie the shelves to protect the :yoke members .againstdisplacement.

These parts are shown stitched, in 'Figs; 11 and 12, to the back ,member66, the stitching 67 passing through a'single'thickness ofthe-yoke member '64, a single thickness of the back a-nda' doubled-over thickness ofthe outer facing65 :of the yoke.

A novel type of back and yoke guide-and hand rest 68, for-the operator, is providedon the .top

O -the Work table 6! between the suppor't62 and. I the needle of the stitchingimachine.

and yoke guide 66 is made from sheet metal and is provided with the inclined surfaces :69. and :76 and a flat section II. Theinclined'surface-itfi extends from the flatsurface ll toward the op.er.-' atoivand theinclined surface [6 extends from the flat surface "ll toward theright of the operator. A folder 12 comprises part of the fiat section ll xt nd ng in proxi I o h sew ng needle and. u des t s e l port ns of the shirt backs:

and, yoke mem ers to l the stitching devices.

The back.

, The operator is seated in front of the sewing machine with the back feeding and carrying device at her left, the book of backs being carried on the carriage. The carriage is stationary and in its retracted position at the low. end of the apparatus.

The operator pages the portion ofthe top back, overlying the book of backs from the book and positions the free raw edge, of such on, the folder 12, the general position of the particular back being operated upon being shown at 13 (Fig. 3) spanning the space or well 14 between th apron 2! and the stitching unit table, 6!. The operator then leafs the top yoke member from each of the piles of yokes on the shelves 62 and E3 and assembles the edge of the back and edges of the yoke members in the folder I2 and under the presser foot of the stitching unit.

, The motor is then started, by pressure of the mechanism at any time by removing her foot from the treadle 41 which may be desirable to correct the improper relation of the cloth parts or rethread the needle should the thread break. She may resume operation, from the point of interruption, by again pressing on the treadle when adjustments or repairs are made. The operator's handsare always free to handle the backs and the yokes. She need not concern herself with the handling of the book of backs inasmuch as they come to her in an orderly fashion, always in a known position within ready reach of her left hand, nor need she concern herself with disposing of the assembled back and yoke members inasmuch as they drop or are dropped into the well 74.

operators left foot upon the treadle 41, such pressure being continued until the stitching is completed. Upon completion of the stitching operation, the operator removes her foot from the treadl causing the motor, the stitching mechanism and carriage feed to stop. Then the operator breaks the chain stitch at the end of the back and yoke assembly and drops, or permits the back and its assembled yoke to drop, in the well 14 wherein the assembly will hang clear of the floor.

When the stitching operation is completed and forthwith upon release of the foot treadle, the operatorpresses her left knee against the control 56 which actuates the connecting mechanism, against the pull of the spring 55, and causes the gear 49 to turn the gear 5| on the cam shaft. The cam shaft turns a sufficient distance to raise the latching mechanism from the groove of the worm and thereby releases the carriage from engagement with the worm. When the undercut portion Iii is aligned with the arm 20, said arm enters the undercut and holds the latch in raised position until the receding carriage causes the pin 2:1 to strike the stud 23 whereupon the latch is released and engages the worm and is ready for the next cycle of operation.

The foregoing operations are repeated until all of the backs in the book and all of the yoke members have been assembled. Each completed assembly of a back and a set of yoke members is dropped, or drops in the well M, hanging therein by the continued engagement of the backs under the clamp 3!. It is evident that as the stitching of backs and yoke members progresses the number of complete assemblies hanging in the well 14 will increase as the free ends of the backs are paged from the book and united in an assembly. Backs which have not gone through the sewing operation continue to move with the carriage as part of the book arrangement and such backs as have been assembled with yoke members and hanging in the well also partake of the movement of the carriage. Ultimately the union of all of the backs and yoke members will be completed, whereupon the operator lifts the clamp 3|, refolds the book which is now constituted by complete assemblies, putting the same in convenient condition for transportation to the place at which assembled units will be associated with other portions of shirts.

The operator may stop the forward feed of the carriage and the operation of the stitching We claim: 1. In an apparatus for feeding shirt backs to an operator, in combination, a carriage adapted to hold a multiplicity of shirt backs in piled relation with the portion of the backs nearest the tails overlying the carriage and the remaining portion of the backs being doubled over the first mentioned portion, means between the first mentioned portion and the doubled over portion for holding the first mentioned portion on the carriage, tracks lengthwise of the apparatus upon which tracks the carriage is adapted to reciprocate, a worm running lengthwise of the apparatus, a latch carried by the carriage, said latch being adapted to engage the worm and a cam normally positioned out of the path of the latch, driving means adapted to actuate the worm and drive the carriage, a treadle for disengaging the driving means and interrupting the actuation of the worm, a control connected with the cam for rotating the cam and causing the cam to disengage the latch from the worm, a lock for locking the latch in its disengaged position and means adapted to disengage the lock and permit the latch to reengage the cam.

2. In a device of the character set forth in claim 1 in which the tracks are set at an inclination, the inclination being in the direction of feed of the carriage and in which, when the latch is disengaged from the worm, the carriage will feed by gravity to the low point of the tracks, the carriage on its return to the low point impacting said lock disengaging means and actuating the same.

3. In combination, a sewing machine and a work carrier positioned adjacent thereto, a carriage adapted to carrythe work, mechanism to continuously propel the carriage through a predetermined path with respect to. the sewing machine, a motor for driving said propelling means, a clutch for connecting and disconnecting said motor and said propelling means, a foot treadle on the sewing machine for operating said clutch at will, means to engage and disengage said carriage from said propelling means, a control, on the sewin machine, positioned above said treadle and generally in the path of movement of the knee of the operator, said control being independently operable in respect of said treadle and movable away from the operator to disconnect said carriage from said propelling means.

4. In combination, a sewing machine and a work carrier positioned adjacent thereto, a carriage on the work carrier adapted to carry the work, means to continuously propel said carriage toward said sewing machine, a shaft beneath the sewing machine and work carrier, 9, motor, driving means connecting the motor and said shaft-,dr'iving means connecting the motor andsaid sewing machine, driving means conmeeting said carriage and said shaft, a foot treadle beneath the sewing machine table, connection between said foot treadle and said motor to control the operation of the said sewing machine and carriage and manually operable means beneath the sewing machine table to disconnect said carriage from said propelling means inde-' pendent of the means for controllin'gthe operation of the sewing machine and the carriage,

5. In combination, a sewing machine and a work carrier positioned adjacent thereto, a carriage on the work carrier adapted to carry the work, a motor, means connecting saidmotor to said sewing machine to drive the latter, means connecting said motor to said carriage to continuously propel the same, a foot treadle, said sewing machine and said carriage operating when pressure is applied to the foot treadle and stopping when pressure is released from said foot treadle, means to disconnect at will said carriage from its propelling means and manually operated means beneath the sewing machine, independent of said treadle, for operating said disconnecting means.

6. In an apparatus for stitching together precut piled different parts of cloth, comprising a sewing machine, a work carrier positioned adjacent to the sewing machine, a carriage on the work carrier adapted to move toward and from the operator, said carriage being adapted to hold a pile of like cloth parts, a support between the operators position and the sewing machine for supporting a pil of like cloth parts, each of which is to be stitched successively to one of the parts carried by said carriage, a motor, means connecting said motor to said sewing machine to drive the latter, means connecting said motor to said carriage to continuously propel the same, a foot treadle for simultaneously controlling the start and stop of the operating means for said sewing machine and said carriage, meansto disconnect at will said carriage from its controlling means and manually operated means beneath the sewing machine,- independent ofs'aid treadle, for operating said disconnecting means.

7. In combination, a sewing machine and Work carrier positioned adjacent thereto, a carriage, a pair of upstanding brackets carried by the carriage, a freely swinging arm pivoted on each bracket, a bar carried by the arms, said bar extending crosswise of the carriage, said arms and said bar being freely s'wing'able through substantially and entirely gravity controlled, said bar when work is on the carriage and folded over said bar resting upon the lower portion of'the work, determining the fold line and retaining the work from displacement on the carriage.

JOHN E. BISHOP. FRANK W. WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: UNITED STATES FATE'NTS Number Name Date 384,264 Landphere June 12, 1888 1,248,236 Yates 1 Nov. 2'7, 1917 1,346,988 Stein 1 -1. July 20, 1920 2,387,185 Runquist et al. ou}; Oct. 16, 1945 

